Help borough to flourish bright as Bloom and Grow campaign returns

OLDHAM Council is calling on all residents and businesses to help the borough flourish for its annual Bloom and Grow campaign.

A shot of last year’s winning WOW Bed entry in Oldham town centre

The local authority is once again launching its annual campaign in a bid to maintain its golden streak in the RHS North West in Bloom competition.

The council is looking to follow up last year’s success, when it scooped Best City in North West in Bloom for the eighth year in a row. 

In keeping with tradition, the WOW bed in the town centre will form the centrepiece of this year’s entry, with details to be unveiled at a later date.

This year’s theme is Greening Grey Britain but the council is incorporating a circus theme to coincide with Circus250, a national campaign celebrating 250 years of circus. 

And as they invite residents of all ages and local businesses to get involved and do their bit, they are holding annual competitions to take part in.

Photographers can send in their snaps of the best the borough has to offer. You don’t have to be an expert photographer and the winner will receive £150 plus the chance for your work to be seen by thousands in a future edition of residents’ newspaper, Borough Life.

Budding snappers aged 14 and under can enter the young photographer competition. The youngster who takes the winning photo will receive a digital camera.

All submitted photos must follow the theme of Greening Grey Britainn. 

Last year’s photography competition winner Ben Taylor – Hartshead Pike

If your business, firm or company premises are looking particularly well at this time of year, then why not send in an entry for the Best Business competition?

And the keenly contested Private Gardens contest also gives green-fingered residents the chance to show off their skills. 

Councillor Arooj Shah, Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods Services, said: “Our Bloom and Grow campaign is a great way of showcasing the collective efforts of residents, schools, businesses and community groups who all work together to make our town beautiful, enterprising, innovative and functional.

“It also goes way beyond flowers – it’s a celebration of everything that Oldham has to offer and each year we impress the judges with our co-operative working.

“We are all hoping for another golden year with this year’s entry and I urge everyone to get involved to help us on our way.”

For more information about how you can take part in Bloom and Grow, plus details of how to enter the competitions, visit: www.oldham.gov.uk/bloomandgrow